The Character Lab INC FY2023 filing

Philadelphia, PAUnknown exempt organization EIN 46-2444163Revenue $6.5M in FY2023Latest return filed Sep 26, 2024

On file with the IRScharacterlab.org3675 Market Street No 200 · Philadelphia, PA

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $2,500 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

Character Lab advances scientific insights that help kids thrive

80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$954K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $781K a year · 13% of revenue · last 3 filings
Fine: a surplus in 2 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$954K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 10.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $675K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$857K
15% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 15% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$6.5M
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$5.6M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$4.7M
By yearFY2021–FY2024
Revenue
$6.5M
FY2023▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$6.7M
FY2023$6.5M
FY2024$4.4M
Expenses
$5.6M
FY2023▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$5.8M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$8.6M
Net assets
$4.7M
FY2023▲ +62%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$2.9M
FY2023$4.7M
FY2024$523K

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $4.5M Management & general 18% · $984K Fundraising 3% · $161K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

16 people listed on the 990; $954K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$267,059Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, Strategic Partnerships
$136,105Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, Finance, Ops and Strategy
$134,179Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, School Partnerships
$124,346Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, Design Thinking
$114,136Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, Revenue Operations
$111,562Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Founder and Director
$40,000Pt VII · Sec A
$26,128Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2021
Sean Talamas—$267,059$197,500
Dave Hersh$226,233$26,128—
Jim Schroder$146,723$134,179$106,575
David Torres$137,499$111,562—
Elliot Luscombe—$136,105—
Michael Pih——$127,567
Meg Foran—$124,346—
Tara Taylor$117,796$114,136$109,388

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See The Character Lab INC executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Advances scientific insights to help kids thrive.

Questions for The Character Lab INC

Tap to ask. The Character Lab INC sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. The Character Lab INC answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $4.5M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

By connecting researchers with educators, character lab seeks to create greater knowledge about the conditions that lead to well-being for young people throughout the country. To learn more, go to WWW.CHARACTERLAB.ORG.IN 2022-2023, character lab reached the following milestones:-facilitated 485 studies to date-helped researchers publish…

$4.5Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$675K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $10K · 2020–2020
Behavioral Ideas Lab INCDC · FY2020$10,000

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$37K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Money outPt IX
$5.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.5M
Managementcol C$984K
Fundraisingcol D$161K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.9M
Total assetsLn 16$5.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$857K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$844K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$37K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$1K
Total revenueLn 12$6.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$250K
SavingsLn 2$4.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$84K
Total assetsLn 16$5.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$857K
Net assetsLn 32$4.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 525
VolunteersI 65
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$844K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.3M$4.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$84K
Total assetsLn 16$4.7M$5.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$874K$857K
Net assetsLn 32$3.8M$4.7M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$563K$377K$181K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.0M$1.5M$305K$107K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$68K$55K$10K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$171K$115K$47K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$171K$127K$37K$7K
Legal feesLn 11b$52K$50K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$140K$140K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.5M$1.3M$123K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$392K$362K$14K$17K
Office expensesLn 13$117K$118K−$2K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$262K$233K$29K
OccupancyLn 16$82K$58K$21K$3K
TravelLn 17$39K$25K$10K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$29K$29K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$97K$58K$39K$622
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.6M$4.5M$984K$161K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Sep 26, 2024 $4.4M$8.6M−$4.2M$523K 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Oct 13, 2023 $6.5M$5.6M$887K$4.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021Filed with the IRS Oct 13, 2021 $6.7M$5.8M$943K$2.9M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $6,497,664 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $6,777,342$6,452,665
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $176,244$37,081
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$7,012$7,918
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $6,946,574$6,497,664
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,038,938$2,924,465
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $3,006,497$2,686,382
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $6,045,435$5,610,847
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $901,139$886,817
Part VI · Governance 8 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $6,497,664 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$6,452,665
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$843,754
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$6,452,665
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $37,081$37,081
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,223$9,223
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$1,305−$1,305
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $37,081 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $7,918$6,497,664
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,610,847 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $377,133 · Management $181,331 · Fundraising $4,954$563,418
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,538,806 · Management $305,015 · Fundraising $107,460$1,951,281
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $54,648 · Management $9,536 · Fundraising $4,297$68,481
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $115,089 · Management $46,864 · Fundraising $8,592$170,545
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $127,116 · Management $36,569 · Fundraising $7,055$170,740
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $50,438 · Management $1,759$52,197
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $139,554$139,554
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,349,406 · Management $123,001 · Fundraising $3,440$1,475,847
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $361,946 · Management $13,588 · Fundraising $16,596$392,130
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $117,612 · Management −$1,679 · Fundraising $1,018$116,951
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $233,002 · Management $29,067$262,069
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $57,872 · Management $21,011 · Fundraising $3,379$82,262
IX-17 TravelPrograms $25,011 · Management $9,954 · Fundraising $3,828$38,793
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $29,165$29,165
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $57,805 · Management $38,987 · Fundraising $622$97,414
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,465,884 · Management $983,722 · Fundraising $161,241$5,610,847
Part X · Balance sheet $5,551,434 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,893,062$250,000
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,421,354$4,643,611
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $17,500$238,703
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $349,506$334,995
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$84,125
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,681,422$5,551,434
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $291,868$284,194
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $581,835$572,704
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $873,703$856,898
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,307,719$4,694,536
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $500,000$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,807,719$4,694,536
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,681,422$5,551,434
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,694,536 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,497,664
XI-2 Total expenses$5,610,847
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$886,817
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,807,719
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,694,536

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.